CHD is a condition in which the major blood vessels that supply the heart get clogged with deposits of cholesterol, known as plaques.

Before a heart attack, 1 of the plaques bursts (ruptures), causing a blood clot to develop at the site of the rupture.

The clot may block the supply of blood to the heart, triggering a heart attack.

Recovering from a heart attack

The time it takes to recover from a heart attack will depend on the amount of damage to your heart muscle.

Most people can return to work after having a heart attack. Some people are well enough to return to work after 2 weeks. Other people may take several months to recover. How quickly you can go back to work depends on your health, the state of your heart and the type of work you do.

The recovery process aims to:

reduce your risk of another heart attack through a combination of lifestyle changes (such as eating a healthy diet), and medicines (such as statins), which help to lower blood cholesterol levels